Dale Kirby is the Member of the House of Assembly for the district of St. John's North

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Inaction on school busing report leaves students in the cold: MHA

For Immediate Release

January 9, 2014

Inaction on school
busing report leaves students in the cold: MHA

St. John’s—St. John’s North
MHA Dale Kirby says the Minister of Education is continuing to sit on a school
transportation report rather than acting in the best interest of student
safety. The report, which reviewed school busing policies in Newfoundland and
Labrador, was completed by consultants last year at a cost of $75,000 to the
tax-payer.

“Despite overwhelming feedback indicating that busing policies
are not working for many students and parents, the $75,000 consultants' report has
been left gathering dust in the Minister’s office instead of guiding
improvements,” says Kirby.

Because current government regulations deny busing services
to students who live closer than 1.6 km to school, many young children are
forced to walk to school in the face of frigid temperatures and a heavy build-up
of snow and ice on many roadways. Kirby says the Minister's inaction combined
with the current weather and road conditions create a potentially dangerous
walk to school for students who are denied busing.

“I challenge Minister Jackman to take a 1.6 km walk to
school with me on Friday, when the wind chill temperature is forecast to be as
low as minus 26 degrees, and see firsthand how difficult and dangerous the walk
to school is for young elementary school children,” says Kirby. “Students in
some of the more high-traffic areas of St. John's and Paradise, for example,
are needlessly being put in harm’s way while government is content to turn a
blind eye to this long-standing problem”.